Arc-title:
Worlds Collide
"Speech"
'Thought'
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(3rd POV)
Theo lay on flower beds of the lush realm full of life, a realm not his own, nor one within the Ethereal Divide. Theo gasped as he suddenly woke up, only to wince in pain as he glanced down at the bandage covering the thin hole near the left side of his stomach "What happened?" Theo forced himself up as his blurry eyes became more clear. "Someone sealed your powers, and you died." Black liquid comes out of the shadows at the center of the tree before materializing and revealing itself to be Enzo.
Enzo had an awkward, albeit worried expression on his face "Look, Theo. I know you may be angry but–." Enzo was cut off by Theo. "You bastard! I will rip you two!" Theo summons the element of fire, enhancing it to be the size of a building and blasts it at Enzo, Enzo sighs and takes the hit head on. The majority of Enzo's clothes are singed off with only the undisclosed parts being the most covered in what remained of his clothes, Enzo's clothes reformed as he regenerated from the damage.
"I deserved that." Enzo remarked to himself. "My powers don't seem nor feel very limited to me." Theo pointed out "You won't deceive me a second, no, a THIRD time!" Theo's wound starts to bleed once more forcing him to reel back in pain. "Okay, listen to me. You need to remember that both of us, Kara, and that wormy purple bitch princess are all Source Dragons, all Source Dragons have a concept we embody. You are Unity, Kara is Perseverance, I am Animosity, and I am not yet sure what that faux Anacondrai's source is yet." Enzo projected images of all the sources in front of them.
"Us three siblings have our own source, but we can also create a limitless amount of other sources for ourselves and others. You don't remember this, but recently after Voidraith created us we made our own source that we all share. As I said before, this source is called Inception and we all share the powers entailed within it." Enzo's eyes turned orange initiating the energy of the source.
"The elements created from that Inception are: Recovery which allows us to regenerate from pretty much everything at hyper speeds and even heal scars, this element is automatic and unlike the others I will elaborate upon, it cannot be negated by Vengestone. Replication which allows us to duplicate ourselves near-indefinitely, we can also transfer our consciousness into such clone(s) if we so desire. Space, which allows us to manipulate and warp space as we please. Transference which allows us to teleport. and finally there is Absorption which lets us steal others powers." As Enzo explains, Theo's eyes widen in shock.
"Back at Chen's island I thought I managed to unseal Inception for you to use again, in hopes that you would also get your memories back. But it appears that I was wrong as you should have healed, I see that now because of the seal I found on you. Not even our sister or that scaley freak could have healed you without prior assistance, I had to resort to Necral Power to bring you back, though as you are of the same species as me your soul and essence do not belong to me." Enzo's expression shows a wavering hint of guilt.
"Look, you may have retained all your powers you have had for the last millenia's or so, but without Inception you won't be ready for what's to come. I have reluctantly accepted to temporarily cut myself off from my physical body to merge with you once more for as long as I desire." Theo rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly think i'm that stupid?" Theo genuinely asked, not wanting to fall for his trap."I wasn't asking for permission, I'm already within your very being." Theo stood confused.
"What do you mean, if you're fused with me again then what am I looking at?" Theo pointed at 'Enzo'. "That is simply a physical imitation of me that I used Necral Power to animate, I am not actually that same creature." As 'Enzo' said those words 'he' dematerialized into that dark liquid once more before disappearing entirely. "I promise you that this time I hold no ulterior motives, we do, however. Have a job to do." The real Enzo said telepathically.
"What makes you think I will trust you unconditionally? Especially after what you did, in case you thought I had forgotten." Enzo huffed. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did, but I do still care about you, why did I resurrect you if I didn't?" Enzo deflected. Theo seemed to ponder on this for a moment before he sighed. "Fine, but you only take control when I say you do, or the situation requires it, got it?" Theo reluctantly offered. "Deal." Enzo replied, with surprisingly no hint of malice in his voice.
"So where are we heading then?" Theo asked. "Oh trust me, you're gonna love it there, in fact you have already been there once, though only briefly. It's another place far away from the Ethereal Divide just like this place, a little world called Monkie Kid." Enzo sounded enthusiastic as he said this, presumably trying to hype up the situation. Though knowing Enzo, more for himself than Theo for the sake of the potential conflicts to stir up there.
(Scene break)
For once in her millennia long life since, Akira was tired, like she genuinely wanted to sleep kind of tired, something she hadn't ever felt since she hatched from her egg. Yeah, she hatched from an egg, unlike the First Spinjitzu Master, but so what? That didn't make her any less powerful, though Firstbourn had said that her egg had just appeared in thin air.
Right now, she was laying in a bed in a genuinely calm state, the complete opposite to her usual chaotic self. Any wounds she'd gained had long since healed, though for some reason Kara had attempted to heal her with a strange element. Which was weird to Akira because she had personally never needed any elemental power or essence to heal, though that just might be an effect of her Silver power. Actually, no. She'd actually completely nullified her Silver powers and other abilities before, and that had never affected her healing.
With a wave of her clawed hand, Akira turned her room into one of her personal pocket dimensions, the one that held her collection of artifacts. Nanites from her armor had also converted the bed frame into a hover-bed, allowing her to move around without actually having to get out of bed. 'Laziness at its finest.' Akira snorted, her tail hanging off the edge of the bed as she hovered a shelf that contained scrolls.
As Akira was reading through her scrolls, a crack in the pocket dimension was formed as Kara walked right through. "This is a nice place you have, so many artifacts and ancient relics. It appears you are more interesting than I originally thought." Kara complimented while looking around the small area. Akira's eyes narrowed into slits as she sat up. "Ever heard of knocking? Anyways just don't touch anything." Kara softly sighed "Very well, I just feel quite impressed with your collection from across the centuries. I wonder, do you currently have the Scroll of Forbidden Spinjitzu?" Kara asked "I'm thinking of stealing one of them and then selling it for a couple million" Akira's eyes slightly widened with interest.
"I don't have one currently, well not including the one I made but, I do know that some adventure's club has one. I didn't have time to grab it with The whole fiasco of Enzo forcefully awakening the Great Devourer and all that." Akira answered, laying back down as an invisible shield covered her collection. "You don't have to worry, I won't try and take your precious belongings." Kara chuckled. "I just have to ask this, why do you care about Theo so much? I'm not complaining, but if I am not mistaken you only met for a few minutes while he was traversing the other Mirror Realms, before you saw him again just yesterday."
Akira pondered on the question for a few moments, tapping her snout. "It's more of an instinctual friendship than anything. Mainly because he was he's of Dragon-Oni heritage like me, fuck, the whole reason I came here was because of Enzo threatening my little Drakh'yr, and to prank Theo a bit. What's his least favorite color by the way?" Kara tilted her head when Akira had said; Drakh'yr. It was a language that Kara didn't understand, but that didn't really matter much to her. "Sorry, I still don't understand that language? But he hates Magenta." Kara clarified.
"Also, if that's the case then why don't we get along well, and I don't think I need to ask on Enzo's behalf because I know better than anyone." Kara deflected. Akira stared at Kara with slight disinterest, before shrugging. "I don't know." Kara didn't take it easy with that response. "Respectfully, I require an answer for this, what makes Theo so interesting to you?" Kara's eyes glowed azure with her brows raised.
"I'm not interested in him as a mate, so don't worry about that." Akira replied, beginning to read another scroll. "I guess it's because... of the dark power that entangles your soul. I know that it's your father's, thanks to Enzo yapping about it when he lost. It's off putting and instinctually makes me ever so slightly more aggressive and unfriendly towards you, so sorry."
Kara tensed at the notion that Akira could sense her father's hold on her, no matter how small it currently is. Akira, sensing the slightest shift of Kara's energy, quietly activated her armor as a safety measure. "I have extraordinary sensing abilities, same goes for hiding my own presence, so if it wasn't for me not knowing how to properly suppress it yet, you would never find me. But I apologize for seeming so... excessive."
Kara sighed. "First of all I didn't mean romantic interest, but I suppose the topic of your friendship can come up later. Second, Voidwraith knows almost everything, and I'm not exaggerating. I made a deal with him to set myself free, but the contract has become null since he put that hold over Theo, that is why Enzo was so worried when he hurt him. Enzo does not realize what happened." Kara explained "The dark power around my soul does come from my father, but it's more so a sign that my seal is broken." A sigil of Kara's deal appeared with a crack through its center.
Akira got up and off the bed to get a closer look at the broken sigil, before silver energy covered her hands as she so casually grabbed it as if it were a physical object, the remaining dark primordial energy reeled from Akira's silver energy. Akira raised a brow. "Why didn't you just remove it?" She asked as she took a closer inspection. "It would be meaningless, the actual seal has been moved to Theo now." Kara had a slight look of worry visible on her face.
Akira suddenly ate the sigil, but nothing happened. Her eyes narrowed. "It tastes sour. I HATE SOUR. Didn't even do anything." She grumbled. "Oh well, can't expect that to work every time." Kara smiled. "It must be nice to have that kind of confidence, not to mention pride in your own power." Kara chuckled at her own remark. Akira looked slightly down at Kara. "If you have never felt that then you must be more Oni than Dragon. They were always more mellow with their emotions." The Dragon-ess said. "I was created 50/50, it's just not in my nature to feel too much pride, as you know all Source Dragons, and as such we embody concepts which shape the universe, I embody Perseverance so it is my main nature. To be clear I don't have to abide by it and I can create any amount of sources I want to, it's just that these days I see no point in displaying power in such a manner, though there are some cases I do tend to let loose a bit." Kara admitted.
Akira chuckled. "Mine is Balanced. It's why I can so easily control any powers I've copied or taken; like Enzo's for example, I've already nearly understood it completely. The only reason I've yet to truly grasp it is because I don't have one of the components to generate it myself... yet." Akira replied. "Also it's not Balance as in 50/50, it's more like... uh...." She made multiple unnecessary gestures.
"Like I don't know how to explain it too well, but it's like you can't have 100% Order, without things eventually falling into chaos. And you can't have 100% Chaos without someone seeking out Order. I am the Balance between Chaos and Order, Good and Evil, Creation and Destruction, I feel whenever the balance of Ninjago shifts because of its unique connection to it, I am its physical embodiment, I've always known that. Fuck! I'm not as old as you, Theo, or Enzo, and I've always been at a stalemate with my power until 4 hours ago, even though it's incredibly potent and only becoming more so."
Akira's ranting was only stopped by Kara, whose expression shifted. "Your source corresponds with Theo's: Unity. I'm absolutely certain he would be just as strong as you are, and as strong as you can get should he get his memories back and become unsealed. Better yet if you two were to combine your powers you might even be able to beat Voidwraith. Your source embodies both and keeps it in order, and Theo assures it stays that way by having the two parts as the same whole." Kara's eyes widen at the realization of the possibility to defeat her father.
Akira went quiet for a few moments. "Cool." She simply replied, causing Kara to sigh softly. Akira stared at Kara's... sizable bosom. "Why do you have big...."
It seemed as though you'll never know the answer to that question.
(Scene break)
(3rd POV)
Theo was abruptly transported into another universe far away from the Ethereal Divide 'Monkie Kid' as Enzo had called it, and just then Theo had heard a voice he thought he may never hear again, just not in the way he expected.
"I have seen what the future has in store for you and your protege, destiny cannot be–." The feminine voice was cut off by that of a male. "Be undone, so you keep saying. But what about this guy? Is he in your future?" Another male's screaming voice could be heard. "As a matter of fact, NO!" She replied, and suddenly Theo could see the events unfolding before his eyes.
"Theo, listen to me. This is a matter we should not get involved with." Enzo materialized in a semi-mental astral form. "I don't care, I won't let anyone hurt her, not Saria!" Theo declares as he charges into the battlefield "I think not, but fine then. I will play by your rules." Enzo retorts as he takes control.
Suddenly dark purple liquids materialize out of thin air and pin an orange haired monkey to the ground. "Now, let's dance." Enzo while possessing Theo, perception blitzes 'Saria'—the Lady Bone Demon—and hits her right in the face as a sadistic smile formed on Theo's face, though not of Theo's own will.
"I almost forgot what it felt like to be able to overpower someone else." Enzo remarked, the Lady Bone Demon tried to incapacitate Enzo in blue ice-like crystals, the essence of Destruction incinerated the attack before it even landed. "I've already had enough of this." Enzo remarks as he grabs the Lady Bone Demon by her throat and slams body onto the crown of the mech "W-Wait, my destiny cannot be changed, it will not end h–." Enzo cut her off. "Shut the fuck up, annoying little bitch." Enzo was abruptly split from Theo's body and forced back into his own physicaly body as Theo's eyes turned bright purple.
Theo's form started to shift as his skin turned fully black as he grew sharp horns as well as a tail and two more arms, as well as a set of two extra limbs resembling spider arms attached to his back, Theo also grew a few inches in height, Oni Form; Theo blasted the essence of Destruction out of his hands, but Enzo simply countered it using Golden Power as he sent an eviscerating light forcing him back into his ordinary form.
"Why is she so important to you?" Enzo asks, as he places his hand upon Theo's forehead and views his memories and chuckled. "Oh, so the Lady Bone Demon is Saria, and because you still harbor feelings for her. Coming back here made you feel nostalgic didn't it? How poetic, considering you know deep within your heart that this isn't a love story, but that didn't stop you from caring, did it? All it took was one kiss and some buttery words to get you engulfed in this mess, romance. I must warn you that feelings such as these will be taken advantage of." Enzo levitated and came face to face with Theo as his Necral Power activated.
"I don't remember any of this, and how do you two know that name?" The Lady Bone Demon raised a brow, clearly having forgotten she was just held by the throat. "Oh this hasn't happened yet, but don't get all lovey-dovey Theo." Enzo teased, Theo didn't even blush as he was still unbelievably pissed off at Enzo's rash violent actions. "What the fuck is up with your head, Enzo? I am being more genuine than I ever have in my life before. You attack any random person with any sort of power, only to initiate a fight to fuel your ego and feel a sense of twisted joy by utterly overpowering your enemies. We—no, you had no place to interfere in this fight. So I ask again WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOUR GODDAMN HEAD!" Theo's eyes turned red as the source of chaos spiraled around him and the sky became clouded, and all the lightning forming in the sky was crimson.
The Lady Bone Demon was shocked by this display of power, not even the Monkey King had wielded such might in all their previous encounters. "To be completely honest, a lot. But your right that I got distracted, regardless we are here for an item called the scroll of memo–." Enzo was cut off as Theo hit him in the face as he was sent crashing to the floor.
"Fine then, you asked for it." Enzo's eyes glowed dark black "I won't be defeated so easily this time." Theo declared. "I would never want to kill you, brother. But it seems that I need to teach you a lesson by actually taking you seriously, and unfortunately for you Kara and Akira are not here to save you this time." Theo's eyes glow white as his source finally activates and his seal breaks, Enzo stands dumbfounded by this action he thought was initially impossible.
And from outside the Mirror realms, Voidwraith grinned. Back into the main reality, Enzo had healed almost instantly from the attack, the Lady Bone Demon was too shocked to even escape as she understood nothing of what was happening in the slightest. Theo materialized a sword out of the source of Unity while Enzo materialed one out of his source of Animosity.
Enzo struck forward with piercing and impaling intent, Theo redirected his attack letting the blade slide to the floor before hitting Enzo with his elbow and pulling back a sword slicing Enzo across the face, Enzo's blood trickled onto the floor as it healed and he turned into smoke before reappearing from above while attempting to slam his blade down, Theo parried and disarmed Enzo before impaling both of his knees with his blade while enhancing himself with the element of speed.
Enzo used Space to teleport back and used the element of time time to slow down Theo, however Theo countered this by stopping the bubble in place altogether with the element of time, Enzo healed and sent his dark liquid substance into the floor, however Theo countered this by having lava bristle through the liquid and erupting from below, with one landing right onto Enzo's face, as soon as the lava fell down and Enzo had regenerated, he stood there shocked once more.
"How the fuck did you do that? I was watching both Kara and Akira, and that element was made after we left your Ninjago, how did you copy it if you were not even there?" Enzo asked. "If Akira is the embodiment of Balance by encompassing both sides, then I am the one who keeps it together and makes sure it stays that way. I maintain the natural order of the Mirror Realms. Realizing this, would that not mean that I could do everything Akira could do, as well as her being able to do everything I can as we are technically two parts of the same whole? This also would not apply to us two alone, so copying a new element would not be hard seeing as I am one of the two people that make sure they can even exist in the first place." Theo explained.
"So did you just say that you and that slithering condescending showoff can just access any element in existence, and are the forces that keep everything stable in the first place. You realize you have just claimed to be virtually omnipotent by proxy of this?" Enzo replied, trying to process the information. "You already knew this, didn't you?" Theo deflected. "How did you come to that conclusion?" Enzo asked. "You once told me that I needed more power to stop Voidwraith, however you never clarified your own role in our inevitable face off against him, you also said that the situation was bigger than you and you were so strung up on getting me on your grand plan, so combining those aspects I believe that you did, didn't you?" Enzo lightly smirks.
"You got me, I did know. And you should know that it was why I went to Akira's realm before. I didn't just want to kill her Lloyd, I wanted to eliminate her and take her powers as when they are combined with yours then they could overpower Voidwraith, I planned to possess you and go after Akira a second time but things did not go as planned, especially with Kara's interference. You two wield immeasurable power when combined, and if we could harness that power then we could finally win and end all of this eternal suffering." Theo's eyes dilated briefly. "You went to Akira's realm... you tried to kill her Lloyd, you went after Akira just because you didn't want to ask for assistance, and devoured me, possessed me, had your power to control me, and ruined my entire reputation by forcing me to traumatize countless innocent people. All just because I was mandatory, is that what you meant to tell me?" Enzo could not answer this with his own words, and simply nodded.
Theo's expression turned absolutely blank and dead, tears formed down his face but was expressionless. "You ruined me, Enzo. You're a horrible brother that I can't even remember and you ruin everyone's lives. After we stop Voidwraith I'm going to spend all of eternity reflecting on what a fucking joke this half of my life was, fuck you, Enzo." These words genuinely seemed to almost traumatize Enzo, but he composed himself.
As Theo walked away to absolutely nowhere, as he had no idea where he was going. Enzo sighed and whispered to the Lady Bone Demon. "Forget your universal conquest attempt for now, Theo will need one of few people that can actually get through to him in a way that even I can't, though not like I deserve to even say that on my behalf." Enzo lended out his hand as he healed her wounds, the Lady Bone Demon gasped as she was returned to her original humanoid form, white dress with shaded dark blue and black hair, almost violet.
"Don't make me regret restoring you, now follow along." Enzo huffed as he opened an orange portal. "It's through here." Enzo pointed at the portal as the three of them walked through it and within the mountain of the Monkey King, stood right in front of the currently sealed Scroll of Memory.
(Scene break)
Inside Kara's base, more so the lounge, Akira, Kara and a few of her followers were at a table playing a card game. Kara sighed with a hint of annoyance as Akira dealt the cards. "Why are we playing this game? Especially when we could be searching for my brothers?" She questioned, grabbing the 7 cards that were slid her way.
Akira chortled. "Well, I'm using Enzo's own power to find where he is, so it won't be too long before I find him." She chirped. "Things like this take time, especially when you're searching through multiple different dimensions." She placed the deck of cards in the middle of the table, before removing one card and placing it next to the deck. "Okay rules are; no powers, no cheating, just standard Uno. Luck mixed with skill."
Hours passed by as they played the game. Screams of frustration were heard from all but Akira, though that's not to say that she won every time. It was currently the end of their 8th match, with Akira winning for the 5th time. "How do you keep winning?!" A frustrated female minion questioned. "I know right. In fact, how do we know that you're not cheating?" Another male minion asked. "Skill issue." Kara teased, considering she had won the remaining three times.
Akira stood up with a stretch of her back. "Alright let's get move'n. I found them in a completely different section of the mirror realms." Kara perked up in interest. "Really? Then let's go already. You two." She pointed toward her minions. "Clean this up." She gestured to the multitude of flipped tables.
A golden portal opened just in front of the door, though when Kara took a closer look at it, she noticed small cracks of silver. This indicated that Akira was supercharging the elemental essence of portal to force her way into the mirror realms instead of the usual dimensional gateways Kara and her brothers would use. Though she made no comment about it.
(Dimensional Realm: MK3.2)
Theo, Enzo, and Saria stood in front of the inky scroll. "So... How do we open it?" Theo finally spoke up. "This world differs from the main realms of Ninjago so its rules are different. However, that is not an issue if we force our way in." Enzo's eyes turn ink black as an inhuman grin spreads across his face and the energy he produces forces the curse to react.
Ink Demons poured out of the portal of many shapes and sizes, one resembling the Demon Bull King charged forward, Saria's hair turned white and her eyes cyan as he stopped the demon right in its tracks, however the three are instantly engulfed from behind into different segments.
With Theo there is a ruined village in sight. "This, this is the first Mirror Realm of Ninjago, the one made after the original, your former home." A voice exactly the same as Theo called out, Theo tried to find this voice and suddenly came face to face with an inky version of his Oni/Dragon Hybrid form. Wings spread out, horns sharp, surprisingly only two arms this time.
A twisted grin formed on the inky version of Theo's form. "Who are you?" Theo asks. "Me? Why I'm you of course." Ink Theo replied. "Bullshit." Theo retorted, but the grin on the Ink Demon's face never faltered. "Your friends will be here soon, so why not cut to the chase. I am you exactly, your deepest fears, your powerful self, your own memories." Theo's eyes widened.
"You're just a curse, don't try to manipulate me." Theo simply walked the other direction. "Gee, I wonder what would happen to the Lady Bone Demon, oh I'm sorry 'Saria' if you went and left. Though even I would admit that Enzo would be able to outclass us, what remains of you, the incomplete sibling?" Ink Theo motioned to the surroundings.
"I have more power than any memory curse could ever hope to achieve, if you try and threaten the people who are close to me I will kill you." Theo turns around and sends Ink Theo a sharp glare, but suddenly space warps around Ink Theo in an instant as the Earth-Punch hits, and Theo countered with the raw power of the element of Brute Force causing a shockwave.
"Your Elements take a darker form than mine, what you're doing is only a weak form of imitation, nothing short of mimicry at best, mimicry that cannot hold up to my full might." Theo began to heal naturally. "You regenerated naturally without the element of Recovery, huh? Interesting." Ink Theo remarks.
Theo sent a blast of fire at Ink Theo, Ink Theo countered by firing dark ink—specifically resembling the element of Water—to distinguish it, Theo manifested lava from under the ground and Ink Theo used Imagination to bring hundreds of ink creatures to life.
Theo shifted into smoke and scattered himself with wind as to resemble a tornado capable of tearing mountains apart, while sucking in and annihilating any Ink Demons that get close to it, though suddenly Theo dropped. "Ohoho, you were just winning and you dropped down, don't tell me you're weakened, I thought you broke that little seal of yours." Ink Theo remarked, suddenly Theo was coughing up blood, and blood was trickling down from his nose and eyes.
Ink Theo took the form of Enzo first. "You will never be strong enough to achieve anything." Ink Theo then shifted to Akira "I can't believe we were ever even friends, you're such a disgrace to both the Oni and the Dragon." Then to Saria. "You let me be erased, you can't even get through to me now that you have the chance, did I really mean that little to you?" Then to Voidwraith. "You're a pathetic failure, you can't even remember, look at you helplessly groveling at the floor, groveling for what? And for whom? I doubt even you know." Ink Theo returned to normal. "Please... STOP!" Theo begged as the pain intensified.
"Time for the finisher." Ink Theo finally shifted to Lloyd. "You failed, and as I die to Voidwraith or whatever creature that will end my life, know it will all be YOUR fault for not being able to protect me, not to mention your now trusting Enzo? The same man who had 'accidentally' killed my father? You're lying to yourself, no one would even miss you as you died, not with the reputation you have now at least." Ink Theo remarked as tears formed down Theo's face mixed with the blood.
"Your friends will be here soon, best hold out for as long as you possibly can. Voidwraith is blocking the major capacities of your powers, he fears your potential when mixed with Akira's, as Akira is your other half you cannot return to full power without her, and you cannot end the eternal war with Voidwraith without her. Only together can you succeed in putting a stop to all this." A mysterious voice calls out. "W-who are you?" Theo asks, seemingly to nothing. "Best focus on yourself right now, find your memories. Goodbye for now, Theo." The voice then disperses.
Suddenly two portals appeared, one with Saria and Enzo, the other with Akira and Kara, they all stared in shock seeing the state that Theo was in, as well as the creature materializing before them. "What do we have here?" Ink Theo changed his size to something comparable to a mountain "The legion of failures, disappointments and disgraces to your hybrid heritage, and the once great Demon reduced to following along, PATHETIC!" Ink Theo's smirk widened.
Akira was quick to go to Theo's side and try to heal him with her Silver Power, though it was only working to a degree "This is your end." Ink Theo separated the team with Theo and Akira in one section, Enzo, Kara, and Lady Bone Demon in the other.
The curse took the form of General Arcturus as he looked down at Akira. "You disgrace the Anacondrai with your own existence. I have always resented you for what you truly are, a beast wearing false scales while taking on our form and you act like one of us. It's no wonder you were not there when I was sent to the Cursed Realm, I should have left you the day I found you in that cave!" The curse shifted to Ink Theo once more as he mimicked General Arcturus' screams from when he was banished to mock Akira.
"All this power and yet you stand so helpless. You couldn't help your father, what makes you think you can help him? You both will always be nothing, destined to be the ones who bring eternal ruin, you two were never Balance, never Unity. You were delusional at its absolute peak, choosing to help an abandoned reckless boy." Ink Theo stared at the bloodied Theo and cackled in mock remark.
Akira's expression hardened. "Don't listen to it. It's not worth the attention." She said, focusing her attention on healing Theo. "It doesn't truly know your memories." Ink Theo stared. "And what gave you that conclusion?" He asked. Akira smiled sardonically, her silver energy becoming brighter, healing Theo at a faster rate. "Because I was 'found' in a forest, not a cave, and I allowed Arcturus to find me." The demon growled at the revelation, its fist warping into many different shapes.
"He also wouldn't yell at me, he'd just be disappointed. Nor did any of the Anacondrai generals let out such girlish screams." The curse was suddenly lifted into the air by a silver aura that enveloped it, along with glowing silver chains. Akira, with an arm stretched out toward the curse, slowly began clenching her fist, tightening the chains and squeezing the demon. "My mind cannot be so easily infiltrated nor influenced, any who try will either fail miserably, or see false results mixed with the truth. After all, those are far more believable." Silver crystals slowly began encasing the demon.
The wounds that covered Theo had closed, though he still had blood covering his face and clothes. "The moment I destroy this portion of you, your curse will slowly begin to weaken and fade away." Akira said as silver light emitted from the cracks on the demon's body. "I am the embodiment of the Balance, and you don't get to fucking tell me otherwise!" She snarled. "As long as there is light, there will always be shadow. And as long as there is shadow, there will always be light." With her final word, the demon was destroyed, its body all but shining particles with no color or shape.
Akira looked down at the still unconscious Theo, carefully picked him up and placed him on the back of an elemental dragon she'd summoned. "Let's get this shit over with." Before she left the area, an uncontrollable amount of curiosity crossed her mind, before she gently placed a clawed finger on Theo's forehead, absorbing a small portion of his power, mainly from his source of unity.
Akira huffed. "Nothing really happened, though it could be one of those things that happen over time. Whatever." With a shrug, she ended up realizing that she didn't know where the fuck she was going. So she waited for the black ink around her to slowly disappear, not noticing that a singular scale on her back turned a beautiful shade of green, with a silvery-gold sheen.
(Scene break)
Theo awoke in a small void yet again, but not Enzo's. No, this was different. "Hello, my son. It appears you found yourself in the wrong universe, and in the Scroll of Memory no less. Apologies I had to seal your power, but I have realized that this game could be far more entertaining if all cards are played, full house." The being finished materializing with a form of grey skin, bright purple eyes, spiked ears, and a dark blue attire with horns shaped like a crown.
"A game? Is that what all of this is to you, a game?" Theo's semi-physical body was stammering. "I'm keeping your existence in two places at once, not a good idea but I will say that I am no coward. From what you can remember your life has been filled with power and wisdom, but your power is not what it once was: I will besiege what you have lost, but your memories you are to find on your own." The being puts his Theo's chest and Theo gasps as the new seal is erased and power begins to flow into him.
"Your Voidwraith, aren't you?" Theo asks as he can feel himself returning back to his main state of existence. "Yes indeed, but you and your friends have a battle to win, enjoy your full power. But remember that you can never truly reach your peak or surpass it without Akira, nor can she without you." Theo nods as he feels himself wake up.
(3rd POV; Current)
Theo awoke in a jolt, and as he did his power was dully rejuvenated. He saw Akira fighting Ink Theo and he focused hard on his power, the power of Creation glistened in his power as well as Destruction, he fused them and felt unified, he sent this attack at Ink Theo knocking him back, Akira used her Silver Power to force Ink Theo back into his ordinary theme; Kara, Enzo, and Saria appeared right after.
Though a frown made its way on Ink Theo's face, he then found a grin spread the next moment. "Don't you see, this is what will become of you with your power. The people you love will all turn against you just like they are doing to me now. In fact, nobody even loves you, the only one that truly cares about you is me, because I am you, stop playing the hero, stop acting like unity, become what you truly were meant to be: An atrocity, a heartless beast just like the people trapped in this scroll." Theo's eyes glowed white.
"I won't let you tell me what I am or what I am not. I know what I am, you are not me, you are but a curse playing dress up on others tales. What you fail to realize is that this tale is not and never was in your hands, it is in our making. So I may be a beast inside me, but I also wield a more benevolent side to me, I am two balanced sides keeping them together. In the end, I pity you." Saria notices Ink Theo trying to attack, as if on instinct the moment he came near the real Theo and crystalized him on the spot.
"That was not the one you just encountered, I saw it from afar. Ink Theo was destroyed by Akira just before you woke up. This means the curse is dead-set on you. I think it's obvious that my idea failed so we should all leave now." Enzo created a portal to escape.
"We're not leaving. Not without Akira!" As Theo said this suddenly a small silver scale found its way into Theo's hands. "What must be done to one, must equally be done to another. If a portion of your power is taken out to Akira, then to maintain the natural order a portion of her power is taken out to you as well." The voice within the scroll once more disappeared.
Theo then summoned an elemental Dragon with the element of Speed. "Wait, this scroll is collapsing. She will get out, I know she will." Kara called out. "Even so, I would never leave a friend behind." Theo chased after Akira on his elemental dragon. "We won't leave our brother." Kara reaffirmed after Theo had left.
"For once since Theo lost his memories, I agree with him." The mountain started crumbling. "What the fuck do you mean? We're going after him." Kara retorted. "No. We're not. He will return, believe me." Enzo used the element of wind to blast them all through the portal and walk through it himself before closing it behind them.
(Akira)
Akira fought through hoards of the demon's clones, what had once been singular multiplied the moment it noticed that she was alone, a pitiful attempt to trap her in the cursed scroll with it as it collapsed. Being what she was, Akira could leave at any time, but honestly, she needed something to vent out her frustrations. Though the demon's illusion of Arcturus was but a false mask used against, and failed to successfully trap her, it still stung seeing her father scream at her, no matter how much someone knew it was an illusion, it would still be upsetting to see a loved one yell at you with anger and disappointment.
Each clone that attempted to gang up on, or ambush her was easily dispatched by a swipe of her claws, a swing of her tail, or by simply chomping on their heads. Akra twisted into Spinjitzu, easily cutting through the numerous clones before multiple, slightly smaller Spinjitzu tornados spread out from hers and also began to tear through the clones like miniature buzz-saws.
Not long after, her Spinjitzu grew in size to match that of the Tornado of Creation, before her silver Spinjitzu tornado shifted into multiple colors of elemental energy as well as gaining sinister red sparks around it. Nearly every remaining clone was sucked in and torn to shreds, leaving only a few left, with only one not having a missing limb.
Theo was closing in from a distance on his elemental dragon, in that instant Ink Theo rematerialized and with one blade made out of ink, the elemental dragon disintegrated and Theo was launched in the air, Theo materialized wings of his own and Ink Theo in turn shifted gravity slightly.
Ink Theo flies to Theo and pins him to the floor. "What's wrong with you, me? Aren't we supposed to be at full power now? Go on do it, take me out with a snap of your fingers, I dare you!" Ink began to materialize around him as spears were forming, Theo's hands glowed bright blue (not cyan) signifying the elemental power of Imagination.
Ink Theo still retains his bright smile. "Give into your anger, we are not two sides unified. We are a beast worse than an Oni, we shouldn't even exist, we will not survive Voidwraith!" Ink Theo materialized a katana out of ink, Theo parried this and impaled the blade within Ink Theo before enhancing it with magic and pulling out before decapitating him.
Ink Theo rematerialized. "We are Gods wearing mortal flesh, and for what? You think you mean anything to the timelines, truly? Who's to say Lloyd won't find another protector, Akira to find another hybrid friend, and our family to turn your back on you again? I am all you have, we are all we have. Accept it already."
In that instant, Akira appeared behind the demonic curse and impaled it through its back, the rest of her arm exiting about its chest with glowing chaotic energy, and clasping an ebony black orb with a white outline. "You act so arrogant yet you have so little power, relying on mind tricks to compete. I know I am arrogant myself but at least I have the power to back it up." With that, she ripped her arm from its body, both her and Theo watching as the creature—if it could even be called such—fell to the ground, clutching the gaping hole in its chest and being forced to watch as Akira crushed the orb, the equivalent for a soul if the creature could have one.
Theo just stared at her incredulously, even his elemental dragon did so as well. "Did you really stay behind on purpose, just to fight this thing?" He asked with clear bewilderment in his expression and voice. Akira simply nodded eagerly. "Yep!" She replied, hopping up and onto his dragon. "Now go, my chariot! Before this whole place collapses!" Akira giggled, earning a sigh from Theo as he commanded his dragon to get them out of here. All the while Akira laughed in the process.
Theo could not help but think if Ink Theo was right, was he really so unloved? Theo had the power to effortlessly defeat Ink Theo without even glancing, but he didn't, because he did not know if Ink Theo was right or wrong, he was holding back while Akira was not. If it is true that Akira and Theo are truly equals and one part of the same whole, it means that they must always be on the same scale of power and potential, if Theo were to get stronger then so would Akira, and if Akira were to get stronger then so would Theo.
Though they still have their own unique elements and essences, they could still copy it from each other if they so pleased. It is impossible for one to be stronger than the other simply because they are one another, though only by technicality. Indeed, they are two different beings, but sources that counteract each other wield ultimate power, power that could defeat Voidwraith.
Theo and Akira looked at each other before nodding, they then utilized the element of Imagination to create a hole in the scroll of memory and flying through it, once the two got out, they were met with Kara, Enzo, and Saria.
"Would you look at that, the faux snake and the oblivious amnesiac made it out." Enzo said, chuckling at his own remark. Kara scowled, clearly annoyed by her brother's comment. Akira promptly shot a silver blast at his crotch, causing Enzo to crumple to the ground in immense pain whilst screaming. "Why the fuck do you keep doing that?!" Akira chortled softly. "Because you're a whiny bitch who cries and complains when he doesn't get what he wants, or when he loses so miserably."
"Next time, I'm making a physical body without the Crown Jewels." The effect of the blast caused Enzo to start wheezing before fully collapsing to the ground. Kara went and kicked his side, sparring his crotch... for now. "She'll probably still find a way to give you some before breaking them. Now hurry up and get up." Enzo groaned, ignoring his sister and refusing to stand.
Theo lent out his hand to Enzo, Enzo grabbed it and pulled himself up before snarling at Theo and using Recovery to heal himself. "I don't need your help." Enzo huffed, Theo had a hurt expression on his face, though not from Enzo. Theo knew that the Ink Demons were just making illusions, but by the end of the day Theo felt like his mind had been violated.
He pondered once more on their questions. "What if he was right about me?" Theo barely whispered. Saria looked worried for him, despite not looking like she would admit it. Theo did not cry as he knew he was thinking illusions by giving into the Ink Demon's wants, but it still hurt, and the words implanted into his brain hit very hard, and not in a good way.
Theo's shoulder was suddenly patted by Akira, though he noticed how her eyes had faded from gold to amethyst. "Don't stress too much about it." She said, before exhaling a sigh as she walked toward an empty space. "Anyway, I've got to go, so...." Kara looked slightly surprised, before remembering the conversation that mentioned Akira's departure. "You're leaving so soon? Why not wait until we return to Ninjago." She questioned. "And what about dealing with Void-." Akira interrupted with a chuckle. "You really wanna rush fighting a primordial? Puh-lease." She scoffed, opening a golden portal. "I'm not stupid. And either way, I have a child to take care of for a little while longer."
Turning to the portal, Akira's eyes softened slightly, speaking up as she felt Theo about to attempt to negotiate for her to stay. "The deal was; I help you save Theo, and then I leave. I spent too much time here anyway." She said, lying on the latter sentence, she could stay but she was bored and wanted to explore a bit before going home. Akira gave them a small wave, not bothering to look back at them before she left through the portal.
(Scene break)
(Location: unknown)
In a beautiful, lush valley, there was a village inhabited by many bipedal—mostly—animal-like creatures. From rhinos to geese, leopards to insects, to sheep, pigs and bunnies. They all walked around the peaceful streets and Chinese style buildings, not far away there was a very large staircase that led up to a temple on a mountain. And for those within hearing distance, they'd be able to hear some grunts from those inside along with the smacking of wood.
Further within the temple, a large tortoise could be seen seemingly hiding inside its shell, yet perfectly balancing in the air on a staff, though some snoring could be heard if one paid close attention. The tortoise inside its shell slowly stirred from its nap when a pulse of energy swept across the valley. "Hmm. How interesting, the universe has brought a guest. But will they be friend, or foe? Hmm, hehee." The male tortoise chuckled, getting down to the floor just before a red panda burst through the door with worry clearly visible on his face.
(End)